The Seventh Crow

Part 30

I was the last one back at our hideout. My side hurt from running and avoiding so many people.

Everyone was sitting around, Kaz talking about something but stopped as I walked in the room. A hushed quiet falls around the room.

"Thank Djel," Matthias said when he saw me. "I was worried."

"It'll take more than bombs, or whatever those were, to kill me," I state.

"Well now that everyone is here," Kaz says. I take a seat next to Jesper, holding my side. "Next mission."

I force myself not to roll my eyes.

"You're kidding," Nina says. "You still want money? After everything?"

"That's what this all is about."

"What's it this time?" Jesper asks.

"Sugar," Kaz says.

Sugar? I think Kaz is slowly starting to lose it. Does he expect us to go sell some sugar to make up his 30 million Kruge that he was swindled out of? But when he explained his idea, it didn't seem all that bad.

Was just saying "sugar" a strange way of explaining? Sure. But when has Kaz made any sense?

"On one condition," Nina said.

"This is not a negotiation," Kaz stated.

"Then I'm out."

"Fine, we don't need your assistance anyway."

"But you need mine," Inej speaks up.

Looking between Kaz and Inej, I notice his jaw tense at Inej's statement. We need Inej in order to ruin the silos. Though, I believe there is a different reason Kaz wants to keep Inej around.

"What's your condition?" Kaz asks Nina after a second.

"We get the Grisha out of Ketterdam," she says.

"I'm not running a charity for refugees," Kaz says.

"Then what is Nox? No offense."

I wave Nina's statement off. I'm curious as to what Kaz will say.

"What do your Grisha bring to the table, Nina?" Kaz asks. "At least I can make Nox babysit Kuwei."

"I'm not a babysitter," I interject. "I can leave whenever I want."

"Then why are you still here?"

I have never wanted to murder someone more in my entire life. That's actually a lie. But I do really want to murder Kaz right now.

"This isn't about me, shimkopper."

He gives me a murderous look which I happily mimic.

"How many Grisha?" Kaz asks.

"About 30," Nina said.

"How do you expect us to get 30 Grisha to accept our help?" Jesper chimes in.

"Actually if you just give the Grisha a way of escaping from danger, they will take it," I interrupt.

Everyone's gaze slowly lands on me. Jesper's expression was probably the most entertaining. A mix of fascination and confusion.

"It just occurred to me, you guys don't know why I was in the Ice Court."

"Please tell us," Jesper says. "I've been dying to know!"

"I would also like to know," Matthias chimes in.

I look between everyone, trying to figure out the best way to tell everyone what I did. The treasonous act that I committed against my people.

Telling them might win their trust. Or at least more respect. I don't care if they trust me. I won't be here long enough to care.

But there is a small issue; Matthias. I've beat around the bush more than I could count. I told him I would stop, but in reality I just got better at hiding it.

"I was a Grisha 'helper'," I say. Better to rip off the bandaid instead of beating around the wound. "Though some Drüskelle called it Grisha smuggling."

"You sold Grisha?" Nina asks.

"No! We helped them over the Fjerdan border. You know, into Ravka."

"I thought you stopped doing that?" Matthias's angry voice rings through the room. 

I knew that was coming.

"I lied."

"Didn't I tell you this would happen? That you were going to get killed or locked away?"

"I'd still do it Matthias! Those people did nothing. They deserved better!"

"Enough bickering," Kaz says. "We have bigger problems ahead. Nox did her time and is still standing."

"Did you kill Drüskelle?" Wylan asks.

Everyone looks over at Wylan. We haven't heard him say something so revengeful. He's hanging out with Kaz too much. Problem is, I don't really mind it.

"Sadly, no," I say.

"Nox," Kaz says. "You will go with Nina and Matthias. Tell the Grisha some type of plan. We will have a ship for them."

I nod. Back to my roots. Back to something that I'm actually good at. Something that brings me one step closer to who I used to be.